New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-12-14

la,: York r. Ere iesicE / stoke, 1887.
MAsri:nrlEcGs oF MODERN PAINTERS. New.
''A York: \. }. Bishop. lss1.
WILD ANNALS N CAPTIVITY By y Fortune n Eo't
III, rated Pp. l55. Ncw-YorS: Dctd' Mead Co.
GOOD THINGS o.! LIFE II. ~: New York; Fred
4renrcsco,ati,o rtcEines" fill another volume
% . ser e. rut ont daring thu last few years by
f. A. stokes In It are etchings OF good size,
slsIse enough to hang M" which is the crucial
test appleI by the multitude Of etching buyers of
Inc present imc Most Of them represent the Style
nt etching now IN vogue, the elaborate or decor
stive. TO our taste Mr.. Parrshs plate, a
Winters Day. Wind or \. S. ia by far the best IN
The vuluhc ana after it Mr.. ielatz's " Old MILL
near Newport. Il. L." interests us Nj. Churchs
Norl alca-, Commands attention, but il Is doubt
ful if even 30 imarinalrve designer should 90 10
the length of imagining q new anatomy CT INC
human fsnrc. Mr.. Gresory's Madison square
seen, 10 lie geographically very accurate Inc
other Iaies are more or less succcS'lui rcpIouuc-
tions of peintinrs or drawings. AS usual, Mr..
Huchcock's text is good. lie has knack OF saying
n pleasant word about each plate without COM
uitti,a himself TO any artistic criticism OF it, The
jntroluction Is good work. In writing on etching
Mr. lI,chc, OK has failed to point out wherein
1t may hc a great art as we'll as its wretched ten
dcncy at tho present lime 10 this country. we
fear it is the voice Of crying i'll the wilder
ness"
Bankruptcies Of art is n term which has long
since come. soscommOn in.the announcements OF
publishers that its use suggests an idea ANYTHING
but fattering The scores of masterpieces
which have issued from various presses have
usualy been designed to appeal to purely popu ar
interest, AMI the volume before us Is no exception
10 the rue. Tho paintings have been selected for
reproduction in most cases on account OF TIER
cootiiness, or striking" subjects or timely
interest. To the last reason ~e probably owe Rosa
Bonherts " Horse Fair" and "Thc Defence of
Chamqigny," both in the metropolitan Museum
ana both, OF course good in Themselves, although
.nother reproduction Of the Horse Fair" lie no
moro called for than another OF Wagners insutfor
ahly hackncycd Chariot Race" Niber.s
"Mi.s.onary's story" and Frths i" Railway
Station" are reproduced perhaps the thousanGh
time for obvlous reasons Gin many if not all cases
it has not been deemed necessary to photograph
the original painting for this especial reproductions
The paotogravures are fairly good, but the coilec-
ton has an all OF conmercialism which, however
NAV not prevent it from aronsng some curious
interest.
M Mott somewhat needessly. dscaims for his
book any avery ambitious aims Ills purpose
aeon : 20 have been " 10 extend the fed OF human
sympnthy toward of the most attractive
creatures which were to BIS croatcl to he our
fellow occupiers OF this world" Ihe purpose is
served by tho production Of this bulky voluae is
n matter re.araing winch there may be an honest
Iiherea &c of opinion. There twentyf
chapters describing MANY of the larger wild
animals. Tho accompanying prints werc made
from careful photographs of ANIMALS in captivity,
and will he Acknowledged to be faithful repre-
scdtations." MI. MOTIFS text has no especial seen
tc value and it has often little novelty but 1t con-
tains much "informa,ion" and many anecdotes
bav successfully withstOOi the assaults OF
time The book is well made. and although we
NAV not sea in it q potent meaDs OF "cXtending
human sympathy" it certainly furnishes more
wholesome aud instructive reading for boys than
many books upon hunting which teach that the
only use of animals is TO DO slaughtered. The
Englishmans remark: It's fine day. Let's 90
and kill something" might be the motto OF many
books tor boys Mr.. Motifs book at least inculca,es
humanity.
The present compilation from the pages of Life
Is the fourth OF q series which has been received
with deserved favor. Every year adds new name
70 the long list of wrecked comic journals which
Nsw-York has furnished, and the fact that tho
prosperity of 'Life" continues without re ort TO
the sensational or sllacious is the best proof OF
Intrinsic merit THIS success contradicts the luea
of American humor as necessarily gro'esque ana
broad and Implies the increase of class who enjoy
wit pol shed, If not ALWAYS keeh 1t IS not Unfair
to inter class rather than popular favor bnt
"society" and our college graduates form an audi
ence worth having As journal of social satire
working uDon the lines Of iDu Maurer, Leech and
Gavarni rather than upon those of Tenniel DOYLE
and Daumer, Life seems to have taken rin root
IN American soil 1t must be acknow lodged that
the better class of French illustrators surpass our
artists in spirited pom and Ink drawing In the
ability either with this medium or with crayon to
make q point forcibly with q few expressive telling
sInes This involves not only truth OF &C ton.
eplrit and lightness Of touch" but so keen SYM
pathy with the subject that the drawing bee ONES
an essential illustration of the teAt instead of
seemingly superGuous accompaniment. In this
collection these qualities seem TO us best realized In
tie drawings OF Mr. Van Schaick, whose sketches
of the overcome" jeunesss dorce," the country
cousin and the Anglomania are very expressive.
although the draughtsnanship is by no means
always fautless. There is an aptness in these
sketches which renders them interesting In them
selves. while the drawings OF Mr.. Sterner a more
cons rained workman, sometimes seem inadequate
even With the explanations before u.s. Mt Sterner
has done some clever work in his picture OF the
English lord who was obliged to pay dnty on
himself as work of art" and there are several
drawings By Mr.. McVickar which present some
adroit figure work Mr. Atwood who founded
himself on English models in his clever series.
manners and Customs of Ye Harvard Students
has continued to work in the same direction, but
his Ireland la Ruskn is decidedly forced. In
bis American Village" series. however. he
furnishes examples of genuine social satire. apt and
pointed. Mr. Mitchell has contributed only one
cartoon anil two small drawings. Some of
the minor sketches like the monkey and cat series
sucge st the kind of German humor which is illus
trai.d In the excellent Fleigende Batter" and
elsewhere as in aspiring Pleasures" the mild
bumor of the afternoon tea is exchanged for
burlssque. Tho precocious American child is an
Important figure In the collection, and the Anglo
maniac the dude, the wine bibber and Boston and
Pill arlnhia are nhiecfs of gentle satire. Politics